It’s hard to work out when you’re on the road anyway, but this morning when the alarm went off at 5:30am in my hotel room, I was sleep deprived, stressed, and told myself (a self-professed fitness junkie and Endo instructor!) “ugh, I really don’t want to work out, and I’m tired so I’m just going to do something wimpy anyway. It’s not worth it – all I want to do is go back to sleep.”

I think there’s a misconception that people who belong to a fitness community like Endorphin are ALWAYS super motivated, can’t wait to go to the gym every day, and it’s easy for them to stay in shape. That can be a huge mental barrier. It can make people feel isolated or discouraged on days when it’s hard to work out, and when you struggle to “give it your all.” I remember one Warriors class where I just was not feeling it. I was angry at myself for not pushing myself harder. Nick Spinosa chose that day to say to the class, “Don’t worry if it’s not your best workout. All you need to do is do your best for the place you’re at today.” That was more motivational to me than hearing “challenge yourself!” 1000 times – I went from berating myself for being a slacker to feeling proud that I was there.

I did manage to get over the hump this morning and work out. I didn’t set any PRs and I didn’t “push my limits.” There was no “crushing” of anything. But afterwards I didn’t feel “wimpy” – in fact, I felt just as proud of myself as if I’d gone on an 8 mile trail run, because I got up and took the time to do something good for my body and my mind when I didn’t really want to. No matter what fitness level you’re at, setting the expectation that you’ll get to a point where it will be easy to stay motivated and at the top of your game all the time is unrealistic. Even for Endos ! Do the best for the place you’re at in your life! Make fitness a habit rather than an event. Join a community that will support you both when you’re kicking butt and when you’re not at your best.